Top construction



Sept. 21 192s.

J. H.-B'ouRGoN 'for cons'rnuc'rron" Find' Nov. :20, 1924 INVENTOR m55/PHH. @0f/60 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 21, 1926.

`f'UNI',TED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

JOSEPH H. BOURGON, v0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 THE STUDEBAKERCOR- Y y' PORATION, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AND DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION` or newV JERSEY.

Tor CONSTRUCTION.

VApplication filed November 20,1924. Serial No. 751,154.

pioved construct-ion, thei main portion of which is composed of ysheetmetal to make it strongand durable and to which the various: other topmembers `and adjuncts may be applied to form a permanent unitarystructure. v v t V Another object is to provide a top frame constructedfrom a continuous sheet of metal of such a construction that the top ofwhich it forms a part will not be subject to the drumming usuallyassociated with tops of this type.

Another object is to providea sheet metal automobile top frame with aplurality of l' tions of parts tov relatively large' face thereof, themetal at the edge of the openings 'being downwardly bent to give addedstrength and stiffness to the top.

A further object is to provide a top frame of the class described withrelatively large openings in the upper surface thereof, the metal at theedge of said openings being downwardly turned to form; attaching iiangesfor strengthening ribs orv tacking strips.

. The above being among the objects of the present invention, vthe saineconsists of certain lfeatures of construction and combinabe hereinafterdescribed with reference to the. accompanyingdrawing,A andl thenVclaimed, having the above and other objects in view. Y

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates va suitable embodiment ofthe pres-- ent invention, and in which like numerals refer :to likeparts throughout the severa-l views, Y

Figure l isfaperspective view of a finished automobile top constructedin accordance with the present invention as it may appear on an opentype automobile.

Figure 2. isr a perspective view of the frame of the top shown in Figurel before the top covering and top supports have been applied thereto.

Figure 3 is a broken perspective view of a portion of the top frame'including one or' the openings therein showingy the manner openings inthe uppersur? quently of securing the strengthening ribs or tackingstrips thereto with the, top Ylining in place.

Figurefi is a longitudinal vertical section sired shape and contour, butin the following description and claims which will refer tothe top`frame as being constructed from a continuous sheet yof metal, it will bekept in mind that the present invention is' not limited toa metaltop`frame which isi constructed from a single sheet of metal, as it isapplicable to and 'includes those constructions where the saine are madeup `of a plurality of units weld-ed, riveted .or otherwise suitablysecured together to forml a continuous sheet,l and has the samepractical results andef'fects as a frame constructedfroin a singleysheet. 1

Top framesk constructed. from a continuous sheet of 'metal have hadbu-t'a limited use inv the past due tothe fact that thesey early designshad a tendency toy vibrate in unison, to a highly objectionable degree,with other vibrations present in the automobile f of which they formed apart, or with the explosions ofthe engi-ne, in much the same way that adrum head may be made to vibrate in sympathy with independent vibrations. Another great objection tothe for# nier tops occurred whenthetopwas distorted or by weaving as the automobile of which it formed apart traveled over rough or uneven surfaces, because of stresses of va,-rious characters being set -up in the metal with the resulting tendencyfory the metal to temporarily change its shape, which frecaused snappingor crackling sounds much the same asl are produced upon pressing thebottom of an oil-can. In the present invention I have eliminated suchdisadvantages and objections as appeared in the former type of top andhave provided `a structure which will present flexibility with the bodybut not lose the advantages et a permanent top.

- As mentioned above, the metal of the top trame 10 is formed from acontinuous sheet oit metal into the desired shape and contour, that is,to the shape or" conventional tops Vas shown inY Figures 1 and 2, orotherwise, but preferably such that no flat spots are present anywhereon its surface to better eliminate any drumming sound that may develop.v 4

- As illustrated in Figures 2 and 11# a wooden front cross member 11 isprovided in the construction shown to more easily secure a rainshield`12or windshield 13 thereto, but this may be dispensed with and the metalot' the top 10 be extended to take its place. At frequent intervals inthe upper and fiattest surface olf the frame 10 relatively largeopenings lt are provided which prevent the drumming of the top with thesame result as is experienced when vopenings are cut in a drum head,that ifs, the openings substantially eliminate all vibrations in thetop. n addition to eliminating the tendency of the top 10 to drum 'orvibrate, the openings 111 also act to break -up any stresses that may beset up in the metal when the top weaves, inasmuch as no stress can betransmitted through the openings, and the result of thus breaking'up thestresses setup in themetal is thev elimination of the' snapping orcrackling sounds.

lt has beeniiound desirable to turn the edges of the metal surroundingthe openings 1.4L downwardly perpendicular to the plane oi? the top to trm flanges 15 toassist in strengthening the top. These anges 15 act togive the frainelO more strength in a plane perpendicular to the planethereof and thereby eliminate the Vtendency to drum, and they also t'ormready means for attaching wooden strips such as 16 -to the top, whichstrips 16 may be extended across the inside otl the frame r1t) to act asstiiiening ribs or tacliing strips for the top lining 17.

The number, shape and size of the openings 111, as well as the depth ofthe ilanges 15,

may vary according to the needs of the various shapes, sizes andcontours oi' the tops in which they are used and the most desirabledimensions will probably be best found by experimentation, although thenumber of openings and formation thereof as shown have provensatisfactory. Y Y

As shown in Figure 5, it is preferable to turn the lower edge of thetrame l() inwardly to form a horizontally extending flange 18 to whichmay conveniently be secured the wooden strip 19 which may be utilizedfor a variety ot different purposes such as a. tackstrip for the topouter covering or the 1 te.

Although the frame l0 as shown in Figure 2 is illustrated as applied toan open type of automobile body 20 in Figure l, it will beapparentwithout further discussion that it may equally well be appliedto bodies of the closed type with equal advantages.

Formal changes may be made in the speciiic embodiment of the inventiondescribed without departing from the spirit or substance ot the broadinvention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.Y

1. A vehicle top frame formed from a continuous sheet of metal, theupper portion of said traine being provided with a plurality ot'openings extending transversely thereof, the metal at they edge of saidopenings being Vbent downwardly out of the plane of said openings, crossribs secured to said downwardly projecting edges, and a top liningspaced from said trame secured to said cross ribs. Y'

2'. in a vehicle top frame, a continuous sheet ot' meta-l iormed tosubstantially the shape ot the inished top, the upper portion et saidsheerI being provided with a plurality of. relatively large openingstherein, the metal. at the edge of saidy openings being downwardlyturned to form attaching `langes, and cross ribs secured to saidflanges.

3. lnr combination with a vehicle top, a trame iormed to substantiallythe shape ot' the finished top from a continuous sheet of instal,relatively large vopenings formed in the upper portion thereof in spacedrelation, the metal at the edge of said openings being downwardly turnedto orm attaching flanges, tacliing strips secured to said anges, and acovering within said top to conceal said openings secured to saidtac/king strips.

4. In a vehicle tol, a trame comprising a` continuous sheet of metalformed to substantialy the shape of a finished top, having a flange atits lower edge and a plurality of relatively large openings formed inthe upper surface thereolvthe metal at the edges of said openings beingturned downwardly to form stitiening members and tacking strips securedto a side of said downwardly turned members.

Signed by me at Detroit, Michigan, U. S. A., this 17th day of November,1924.

JOSEPH H. BOURGON.

